Presser foot needle guard for sewing machines



M. WAPNER 2,556,406

PRESSER FOOT NEEDLE GUARD FOR SEWING MACHINES June 12, 1951 Filed Jan. 25, 1950 Fig, 3.

, Fig. 2.

Morris Wapner IN V EN TOR.

l 'atenteci June l2, lQSi '1 OFFICE PRESSER FOOT NEEDLE GUARD FOR SEWING MACHINES Morris Wapner, New York, N. Y.

Application January 25, 1950, Serial No. 140,404

1 Claim.

My invention relates to improvements in presser foot needle guards for sewin machines, the primary object in view being to provide an eflicient guard permanently attached to the presser foot for protecting both the needle and the operator against injury, and also preventing the work from folding or creeping onto the presser foot beneath the needle due to carelessness on the part of the operator, or for any other reason.

Another object is to provide a needle guard of the character and for the purpose set forth which will not interfere with threading of the needle and which will enable the operator to clearly see the needle above the presser foot.

Still another object is to provide a needle guard for the above purposes which is inexpensive to manufacture and adapted for attachment to conventional presser feet without any alteration in the presser feet.

Other and subordinate objects, Within the purview of my invention, together with the precise nature of my improvements, will be readily understood when the succeeding description and claim are read with reference to the drawing accompanyin and forming part of this specification.

In said drawing:

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation illustrating my improved presser foot needle guard applied to the conventional presser foot of a sewing machine;

Figure 2 is a view in side elevation, partly in section and drawn to a larger scale, with the presser foot detached and together with the guard viewed from the left-hand side thereof;

Figure 3 is a view in front elevation of the same;

Figure 4 is a view in side elevation of the same viewed from the right-hand side of the presser foot and guard; and

Figure 5 is a view in plan.

Referring to the drawing by numerals, accordin to my invention, as illustrated, a presser foot needle guard is provided in the form of a tubular shell I slightly smaller in diameter than the width of the presser foot 2 with open ends, said shell being centered on top of the presser foot 2 in upright position in axial alignment with the needle 3 and with the longitudinal center of the usual slot 4 in said presser foot 2. The shell I has its lower end welded, as at 5, to the presser foot 2 upon opposite sides of the slot 4 so that it is permanently attached to said presser foot.

The shell I is provided with longitudinal right and left side needle threading slots 6, 1, respectively, at diametrically opposite sides thereof, and which are open and flared as at 8, 9 at the upper end of said shell I. The right hand slot 5 is wider than the left-hand slot 1 so that the needle 3 may be readily threaded from the righthand side of the presser foot 2 and said shell I, and also to accommodate the usual needle clamping screw 3'.

A longitudinal front needle sighting slot is provided in the shell I and designated Ill in the drawing. The needle sighting slot Ill extends from a point closely adjacent the upper end of the shell 5 to the lower end of said shell and opens into the slot 4 in the presser foot 2, so that the needle 3 is clearly visible through said slots iii and i for scrutinizing the sewing operation when the presser foot 2 is lowered and the needle 3 operating, and also for sighting the needle 3 in the shell I while threading said needle.

The manner in which the described invention is used will be readily understood. When the presser foot 2 is raised and the needle 3 retracted in the usual manner for threading of the needle, said needle is threaded from the right side of the shell I through the right side needle threading slot 6, the end of the thread passing out of the left side needle threading slot 1, the eye of the needle being rendered clearly visible for threading by means of the needle-sighting slot Ill. The shell I prevents, at all times, the operators fingers from being caught under the needle 3 and bending or breakin of the needle by accidental side pressure against the same. The flared ends 8, 9 of said slots 6, l obviate sharp corners at the upper ends of said slots and said slots provide for clear visibility of the needle from opposite sides of said shell. Obviously, the shell is 'of sufiicient diameter to avoid interference with the needle I during vertical swinging of the presser foot 2 on the usual pivot H in opposition to the usual spring [2.

The foregoing will, it is believed, suflice to impart a clear understanding of my invention, without further explanation.

Manifestly, the invention, as described, is susceptible of modification without departing from the inventive concept, and right is herein reserved to such modifications as fall within the scope of the appended claim.

Having described my claimed as new is:

A presser foot needle guard for sewing machines comprising a tubular shell of slightly smaller diameter than the width of said presser foot with open ends and being centered on top invention, what is of said bressr foot in upright position in axial alignment with the needle, said shell having a lower end welded to said presser foot, said shell having longitudinal right and left side needle threading slots therein at diametrically opposite sides thereof open at the upper end of said shell, the right-hand slot being wider than the lefthand slot to facilitate threading the needle from the right-hand side of the presser foot, and said shell having a longitudinal front needle sighting slot therein extending from a point closely adjacent the upper end of the shell to the lower end of said shell for clear visibility of the needle from t the front of the shell While the needle is working and while said needle is being threaded.

MORRIS WAPNER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 10 Number Name Date 412,202 Patten Oct. 1, 1889 1,091,363 Martin Mar. 24, 1914 1,384,607 Feitel July 12, 1921 2,175,030 Rosenfeld Oct. 3, 1939 

